Category: Age: Baby

Age 0-4

Athena Brownfield

Photo of a small girl with light-brown hair and fair skin, wearing a blue flannel shirt and a giant light-blue bow in her hair.Name: Athena Brownfield.
Died: January 17, 2023 (Body found; died December 25, 2022).
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: Cyril, Oklahoma, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Athena and her five-year-old sister lived with a couple who served as their caregivers. On a cold January day, Athena’s sister was found wandering her neighborhood by the mail carrier, but Athena herself was nowhere to be found. Police questioned their caregivers and, after reportedly finding evidence on one of the caregivers’ cell phones, arrested their caregivers. Police believe they have found Athena’s body, but it has not yet been positively identified.

Case Status:
Ivon Adams (Caretaker), charged with first-degree murder and child neglect.
Alysia Adams (Caretaker), charged with first-degree murder and child neglect.

Sources:

Caregiver ‘beat’ 4-year-old Oklahoma girl to death on Christmas, court documents say
Athena Brownfield: Remains found in Oklahoma identified as missing 4-year-old
Body found in search for missing four-year-old Athena Brownfield after caregiver charged with murder
Man Faces Murder Charge In Case Of Missing 4-Year-Old Girl
OSBI, OHP and others searching for missing little girl
Athena Brownfield update: Male caregiver faces murder charge in missing 4-year-old girl, police say
A married couple taking care of a 4-year-old girl is under arrest and face charges in her disappearance, Oklahoma officials say
Second caregiver faces murder charge after disappearance of 4-year-old Oklahoma girl
AZ court docs: Second caregiver of missing Oklahoma child arrested on murder, neglect complaints
Autism Memorial: Athena Brownfield

Arya Smith

Photo of a girl with brown skin and black hair done in small braids, decorated with barrettes, wearing a blue sleeveless shirt; she is smiling for the camera.Name: Arya Smith.
Died: December 27, 2022.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Miami Beach, Florida, USA.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Arya’s mother called 911 and reportedly confessed to killing Arya; when she couldn’t strangle the girl, she stabbed her to death instead. Family said she was “stressed” due to Arya’s possible autism and a recent eviction notice.

Case Status:
Jellisa Baxter (Mother), charged with aggravated child abuse and first-degree murder.

Sources:
‘She loved her baby,’ says dad of J’can held for killing 3-y-o in US | Loop Cayman Islands
Mother charged in stabbing death of daughter, 3, in North Miami Beach apartment
Stepfather of mother who stabbed, killed daughter says woman was ‘stressed’
Autism Memorial: Arya Smith

Hunter Drew

Photo of a light-skinned boy with blue eyes, wearing a gray hoodie and eating a cupcake with white frosting.Name: Hunter Drew.
Died: October 20, 2022.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Traumatic injury.
Location: Mount Auburn, Illinois, USA.
Disability: Developmental delay, chronic illness.

Details:
Hunter had gotten into a scuffle with a sibling when his father’s girlfriend allegedly grabbed him, threw him so that his head hit a hard object, and then drove him around in her car for three hours while he died of a head injury.

Hunter loved motorcycles, trains, race cars, and big loud trucks.

Case Status:
Ashley N. Bottoms (Father’s girlfriend), charged with involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment causing death.

Sources:
Did custody change cause Hunter’s death?
Charges filed in death of 3-year-old
Family and friends gather for Hunter Drew’s visitation
The short life of a 3-year-old boy taken too soon
DCFS facilitates 3-year-old downstate boy’s move in with his father, and now the boy is dead

Unnamed Baby Girl

No PhotoUnnamed Baby Girl.
Died: September 6, 2022.
Age at death: 1 day.
Cause of death: Abandonment.
Location: Mandya, Karnataka, India.
Disability: Unspecified congenital disability.

Details:
This baby girl, never named, was abandoned by her parents. A pack of wild dogs found her and dragged her onto the grounds of a hospital, where staff rescued her; but she died of her injuries not long after. It is believed that she was abandoned because of her visible disability, because she was born a girl, or both.

Case Status:
Unsolved. Authorities are reviewing CCTV footage and searching for her parents.

Sources:
Karnataka: Abandoned newborn girl dies after being partially eaten by stray dogs in hospital premises; probe on

Amora Milbourne

Photo of a toddler girl sitting in a high chair. She has brown skin; she is wearing a white shirt and pink cap, and holding a teddy bear in one hand.Name: Amora Lou Milbourne.
Died: August 27, 2022.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Heat stroke.
Location: Cary, North Carolina, USA.
Disability: Chromosome deletion; prematurity, developmental delay, congenital heart disease, feeding difficulty, stroke.

Details:
Amora’s mother allegedly left her and her little sister Trinity in her car parked outside a gambling establishment, while she spent six hours gaming inside. The sisters died from hyperthermia; when their mother returned to find them unresponsive, she reportedly took 30-45 minutes to get them to the hospital, where they were declared dead. Their mother had been previously investigated by child protective services, who sent social workers to make sure that Amora and Trinity were being taken to medical appointments and properly supervised. The family was getting 40 hours of home health services per week for Amora.

Case Status:
Launice Shanique Battle (Mother), charged with two counts of murder.

Sources:
Cary mom admitted to leaving girls in hot car while gambling; autopsy reveals death by hyperthermia with decaying present
Cary mother charged with murdering 2 children had multiple previous reports of neglect
NC mother charged with murder after children die in hot car, police say
North Carolina mom admitted to leaving girls in hot car at play; Autopsy shows death from hyperthermia with decomposing gift – North Carolina News
Autopsies released on two Cary toddlers found in hot car. Mother charged with murder.
‘Something ain’t right’: Family of mother accused of killing daughters hadn’t heard from her in weeks

Miss Hsieh

No PhotoName: Hsieh (Family name; given name unknown).
Died: August 4, 2022.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Head injury.
Location: Taoyuan City, Taiwan.
Disability: Developmental delay, poor balance.

Details:
When three-year-old miss Hsieh refused to take her bath, her father beat her and then forced her to stand on a stool, from which she fell. She died of a brain injury; her body showed signs of regular beatings.

Case Status:
Mr. Hsieh (Father), convicted of child abuse resulting in death, sentenced to 9 years.

Sources:
Court sentences man for abuse, death of daughter
Supreme Court upholds man’s 9-year sentence for causing daughter’s death

Tejaswini

Photo of a baby sitting in a blue chair, wearing a yellow dress and pink flower in her hair. She has light-brown skin, short dark-brown hair, and a bindi on her forehead. She seems upset, her eyes shut and her mouth open in a cry. Off to the side, an adult is holding her arm. Name: Tejaswini.
Died: August 1, 2022.
Age at death: 1.
Cause of death: Drowning and/or fall injury.
Location: Jangaon, Telangana, India.
Disability: Intellectual disability.

Details:
Tejaswini’s mother claimed that a robber had tried to steal her gold necklace, and that when she refused, the robber had thrown the baby into a water sump. Neighbors rushed the child to the hospital, but she was dead on arrival. Police, who checked CCTV camera footage, say that there was never a robber, and Tejaswini’s mother threw the baby into the sump herself because she was frustrated that Tejaswini’s disability was not being cured, and tired of the financial burden of caring for her. At the police station, Tejaswini’s mother allegedly confessed to killing her.

Case Status:
Prasanna (Mother), charged with murder.

Sources:
Jangaon woman kills 1-year-old disabled daughter
Woman kills her infant girl child in Jangaon
Telangana: Big twist in Janagama child death case.. Police shocked to hear mother’s truth..!

Chase Allen

Photo: A small brown-skinned boy with a buzz cut, sitting on a couch and eating chips; he is wearing a green-and-white striped shirt and khaki shorts.Name: Chase Allen; also spelled “Chayse”.
Died: June 24, 2022; last seen March 2022.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Head trauma.
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Disability: Blind, other unspecified disabilities.

Details:
Chase’s body was found in a freezer. His mother, who had a history with child protective services, was arrested on suspicion of having caused his death. Relatives, who called Chase “the sweetest”, said they had offered to take Chase off his mother’s hands if she couldn’t deal with his disabilities, but had been rebuffed.

Case Status:
Azuradee France (Mother), charged with felony murder, first-degree child abuse, torture, and concealing a death.

Sources:
Here’s what we learned during hearing about 3-year-old found in freezer in Detroit home
Detroit mom told police she kicked 3-year-old, put body in freezer when he wouldn’t wake up
Detroit neighbors say 3-year-old boy found dead in freezer was blind; family called CPS 13 times this year
Detroit mom charged after 3-year-old son found in freezer
Mum charged with murder and torture after blind son, 3, found dead in freezer
Family says mother charged with killing 3-year-old has history of abuse
Detroit mom arrested after 3-year-old boy found dead in basement freezer

King Dewey

Photo of a toddler boy with curly black hair and light-brown skin, his mouth slightly open; he is wearing an orange T-shirt.Name: King Dewey.
Died: May 31, 2022.
Age at death: 3.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Port Arthur, Texas, USA.
Disability: Down syndrome, suspected autism.

Details:
King was found dead in his home, weighing only 19 pounds. Police say he had been locked in a closet for some time.

Case Status:
Tina Louis (Mother), charged with injury to a child.
Kristen Louis (Sister), pleaded guilty to two counts of injury to a child, sentenced to 30 years.
Jaylin Jevon Lewis, found guilty on two counts of injury to a child.

Sources:
Third suspect arrested in connection with death of 4-year-old boy found in Port Arthur home
Mom and Aunt Charged in Death of Disabled Toddler Boy Found Emaciated
Mother, daughter charged in handicapped child’s death
Police release new details about death of 3-year-old emaciated special needs child
Police: Emaciated 3-year-old special needs child weighed 19 pounds at time of death
Third suspect sought in ’emaciated’ toddler’s death

2-year-old girl

No PhotoName Unknown.
Died: May 10, 2022.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Malnutrition.
Location: Davenport, Florida, USA.
Disability: Failure to thrive; possible muscular dystrophy, possible cystic fibrosis.

Details:
This girl, two months short of three years old, died weighing 9 pounds, with no food in her stomach. Although the girl’s doctors were worried about both cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy at her six-month checkup, her parents allegedly did not take her to the doctor until they found her dead.

Case Status:
Regis Johnson (Father), charged with Negligent Child Abuse causing Great Harm.
Arhonda Tillman (Mother), charged with Negligent Child Abuse causing Great Harm.
Frank Robinson (Uncle), charged with Negligent Child Abuse causing Great Harm.

Sources:
2-year-old starved to death, parents arrested, Polk sheriff says
Polk toddler weighed 9 pounds, 5 ounces at death. Couple charged with felony child neglect
Couple Charged In Death Of 34 Month Old Who Starved To Death Weighing 9.5 Pounds
Couple charged for starving toddler to death, sheriff says
Davenport couple arrested for negligent child abuse resulting in death of 34-month-old toddler